[mcgintyrch]

Hi Tracy.

We’ve been doing short leash work sessions – on with some behaviours, followed by off with easy behaviours. Keeping it short, empty hands, cookies in pockets. It’s been going pretty good. Introduced a jump into the picture today.
Her “engaged chill” I think it’s when she is leaning into me as we wait our turn at nose work or other places. We haven’t really had an opportunity to practice this at agility other than while watching dogs do agility at a trial. Do you think this is the engaged chill behaviour I should hope for when we are waiting our turn for agility runs?
Thank you and have a great Thanksgiving!

[mcgintyrch]

Thank you. I thought about it a lot last night and thought I should dial it all back. So early this morning, we did. It worked out much better. This video is from a short session this afternoon. She’s coming to me when I say “leash” and sitting for me. She’s giving me the look when I remove it, and after doing a couple of behaviors waiting for “chips”. I want to jump around and have a super happy voice about it, but she can’t just handle that much excitement. It puts her over the top. 😐

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by mcgintyrch.

[mcgintyrch]

I’m still working on the leash on/off routine without much progress. She is patient while I put the leash on…almost to the point where she offers a sit. Once we start moving around with it on, she is totally disengaged and running in circles. When I get her to slow down and stop, she sits and then I wait her out to connect with me. If I try to play games with her, she gets too aroused and the mouthing/jumping up starts. So, it’s definitely frustrating for us both. Any suggestions?
Thanks. I definitely need some pudding shots.

[mcgintyrch]

First or second? – thank you for giving back to the community and taking on the responsibility of chief course builder. I’m sure you’ll have lots of help and make it fun!

First or second?- have a blast with your dogs! I wish you days full of fun and clear rounds!

I couldn’t decide which should be first – those are both of primary importance, just in difficulty ways.

Just a quick update on our class last night. It was happenstance that the course started at the other end of the field from the gate and audience. Her first run was quite successful. We didn’t have good sustained full engagement at the beginning,but she stayed with me on the course. After the last obstacle, she came in to find my face. Had more engagement at the start of the second run – direct eye contact. A great run for us and came to find my face at the end.
I brought our “chips” tin to class. She watched me put her cream cheese Toppl in it. At the end of our second run, I said “chips”. I really think she knew what I meant. She didn’t fuss about getting her leash on, went straight out with me and to the tin.
I felt pretty darn good about it. I’m greedy and I want more engagement at the start of the first run.

Thank you! Will be looking for you on the livestream! Best of luck!

[mcgintyrch]

Thanks for being so kind in your response. I hope I didn’t screw her up. We’ve run in front of the people before, but I think the barking dogs really put her over the edge and she freaked.

She could work the games and find my face, but not as strongly as usual. She could not tug.

So, for future work- I should continue to focus on games on the road any chance I get. Be patience and slowly integrate with equipment and distractions.
Thanks for your help.

[mcgintyrch]

I thought you might have meant “keep running your invisible dog”, but after this morning, I probably did ruin my invisible dog.
Anyway, had an audience couple of friends and a couple of dogs (xpen), and a damn butterfly showed up. So, she was obviously never close to being fully engaged. Way too much for her. She went to the people and the dogs and then chased the butterfly for quite awhile. A couple of times she went to her Cato board in the shade. Her eyes looked like she was a crazed animal. This is a highly reduced portion of the four minutes she was out there. She seemed to return to me when I praised my invisible dog. Otherwise, she could care less.
So when she couldn’t commit to full engagement with pattern games in the beginning, I just should have aborted trying to run her.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by mcgintyrch. Reason: Pattern games

[mcgintyrch]

Okay, we will start ditching the pockets and vest.

One more question- when we are doing a sequence or course and we aren’t separated from an “audience”, how should I handle it f she goes to visit?

Thank you!

[mcgintyrch]

Here’s our video- I put her leash on, took it off, got a behaviour or two and then went for chips.
I obviously failed at having a JuJubee proof container.

Thank you!

[mcgintyrch]

Thanks!
I will have them in a JuJubee proof container.

One more question about her leaving me – if we are in a situation where there are people accessible to her – no fence between the course and people. How should I handle that should she go off to visit? I’m concerned the invisible dog will work.
Thank you!

[mcgintyrch]

Thanks. I so hate you for that!! 😂🤣 We are happy to be your science experiment. 😁

Have all the confidence in the world that she will help herself to the chips once that leash comes off. 😂

We went to a different class tonight- same place but different people and dogs. She stayed connected with me going between people to get to the field. No video. I took the Cato for the start line. It worked out well – she got up from a sit on the first run but stayed. I walked only a few feet away and released her. It was her typical first run…went to check some favorite spots but joined me as I ran my imaginary dog. Her second run, she sat and looked deeply into my eyes (I love it when that happens). I led out a few feet, waited a couple of seconds and released her. And it was a great run. She connected with me when I reminded her at a tight 180 and at the teeter and dogwalk where we stop. It felt good.

Thank you!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by mcgintyrch.

[mcgintyrch]

Worked on chips and toy closer. I think I’m doing it wrong with asking her to do some behaviours before the reward…and sometimes I forget to praise before the marker. And I have created a monster because she’s anticipating the marker. 😜
Thank you.

[mcgintyrch]

THANK YOU! I will pass it along!

[mcgintyrch]

Thanks.
It doesn’t look like auditing is available now – in fact, it doesn’t show this class at all.
I will tell my friend, Brenda, about auditing if it is available.Though I know she needs to have someone explain why her cattle dog (2-1/2 years) disconnects and wanders off. She’s struggling.

I will look forward to the upcoming classes.

Thank you!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by mcgintyrch. Reason: this class isn't available any longer

[mcgintyrch]

Yes, I mean the leash as a toy.She will run away with it.

Okay, I need to praise first and then go for chips or toy – got it.

I have a friend who wanted to join the class but hasn’t heard back from you. Is it still possible to join for working?

Another question – would there be any value for us to sign up for Max Pup 1? Is it the only way to continue with you or are you planning some other class?

Thank you. You are so very helpful for us!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by mcgintyrch. Reason: second question

[mcgintyrch]

Hi Tracy. We worked on remote reinforcement. I’m a big fat chicken to try the leash. I will need to do lots of stimulus control for that. And I will!
So here are two videos. One is for food remotely and one is for a toy remotely. I screwed up the food and I said cookie instead of chips – the correct word for cookies in a tin. She ran to the cookie stash in my pouch. So I screwed it up twice. She was so good. 😂

The second video is teaching her the toy is remotely available. We have never done this with a toy. I didn’t expect her to be so interested in it.

Food

Toy

So should I do this all over again with a leash? Leash off and then leash on?

Thanks for your help!

• This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by mcgintyrch.

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